The Original Hero of Dreamland: Story of a King
by sullenS
Summary: Deep within the aged tomes of the Dreamland Historia is an ancient tale of a revolutionary that made great sacrifices in pursuit of his ambitions and became a hero of legend. This is the story of Dedede.


**Author's Note:** Hello, Sullen here! This is just a one-shot I wrote based on a crazy theory I came up with on a whim. Because of the vague and open-ended nature of the Kirby franchise's world building, I thought it would be nice to squeeze in a little self-indulgent backstory stuff myself.

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><p>Once upon a time, in the planet Popstar, there was a place called Dreamland. Dreamland was a land of peace, and like Popstar, was not known to have any formal authority. Everyone just lived their lives like normal. The residents of Dreamland never saw any reason to elect a ruler, nor did they desire one. However, one person believed otherwise. His name was Dedede.<p>

No one was sure what he was or if he was even from this world. But what they did know was his ambition. Once he set his sights on something, nothing could stop him. And he wanted everything. Though fueled partly by greed, the reasons behind his desire—he believed—was for good intentions.

He began his search for supporters. But everyone he talked to denied him, aghast that anyone in Dreamland could proclaim themselves superior to all others. The further he traveled, the more he began to lose hope. That was when he discovered the Waddle Dees.

Waddle Dees were a tribe of small, brown creatures, simple and hard-working. From what Dedede observed, they seemed not to mind being bossed around, and in fact relied on order to survive. Garnering their goodwill, they march on together.

Under Dedede's supervision, the Waddle Dees thrived and multiplied, quickly becoming one of Popstar's most populous species. Though not necessarily representative of the whole planet, it was enough for Dedede himself. They eventually settled down on a mountain and began building his empire. From the great heights of Mt. Dedede, the Waddle Dees' protector proclaimed himself king.

Now, Dedede was not without his vices—as mentioned briefly before, he was prone to greediness. He especially loved to eat, and his gluttony often led him to steal from the residents down below. But despite his moments of excess and rage, hardly a moment passed when he didn't consider the well-being of the 'Dees. Just as they had supported him, he would give his own life for them. Little did they know, that time would come sooner than they think.

The King of Dees was visiting the Fountain of Dreams one day. He had visited the Fountain once before, when he first made his wish to rule Dreamland, and had make another wish. But when he arrived, something was amiss. The Star Rod, a magical object that powers the good dreams of Popstar's people, had gone missing. If not recovered in time, Dreamland would become a world of nightmares.

Once again, he sets out on a journey, one more perilous than the last. With his most loyal subjects by his side, they travel the world in search of the Star Rod. As time went on, the once-peaceful residents of Dreamland turned violent, transforming into horrendous monsters. The source of these monsters were seven fortresses, built brick by brick from nightmares and despair, and led by guardians, each which held a fragment of the legendary artifact.

As Dedede's army soldiers on, they defeat the guardians and take back the staff of dreams. But their victory was not without sacrifice: many Waddle Dees' lives were sacrificed in the course of their journey. It was then that the King made his decision: he dismissed his subjects and left to face the darkness alone.

The last fortress vanquished, he was transported into a world of darkness. This land, which some have called the Dark Dimension, was the resting place for Nightmare, a fiendish creature from ancient times. Nightmare had his minions destroy the Star Rod and seal the pieces away. He was so confident in his plan that he never imagined anyone to resist succumbing to despair.

Armed with the Star Rod, Popstar's hopes and dreams fueled the relic, unleashing powerful magic that thwarted Nightmare's every move. As Nightmare grew in power, so did Dedede. After a long battle, the King's wish to protect won over his despair, and the Lord of Despair and his entire dimension was sealed away once again.

But despite his accomplishments, Dedede's destructive actions had, in the process, caused the people of Dreamland to turn on him. They have cited the deaths of their loved ones as the reason why no one being should deserve such power. Guilt-struck by his misdeeds, King Dedede set the Rod back in its rightful spot and returned to his castle, where he isolated himself from the residents down below.

It would not be until many years later that he would have his vengeance on the people whose lives he once saved. Little did he know, he would encounter another hero in the making...


End file.
